Cables: Chávez betrayed FARC to appease generals

The extradition to Venezuela of alleged drug trafficker Walid Makled occurred in the context of an intense diplomatic chess game where President Hugo Chávez sacrificed Colombian guerrillas to capture the dangerous pawn, who kept his government in check, according to leaked documents.

The reports, from the private intelligence firm Stratfor leaked by WikiLeaks, highlight the pressure applied by National Armed Forces’ high-ranking officers to push Chávez into negotiations with Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos’ government.